Hypersexualization of young girls: What are the issues? Should we be worried?

Does hypersexualization actually harm girls? The American Psychological Association maintains there is real cause for concern, but in the U.K. researchers find that there is “much less agreement on what the effects of the sexualization of culture, in general or specifically on children, might be.” (See “Letting Children be Children”.)

Many say that the real issue with hypersexualization is the objectification of girls and women. They propose that hypersexualization is not about sexuality but about sexism and about who holds the real power in our world. Objectified girls are being groomed to accept the passive role of object, whose main source of power is her appearance.

Pornography is a big part of the problem, according to some, such as the Réseau québécois d’action pour la santé des femmes. Soft porn images now abound and seem normal in pop culture aimed at teens and tweens.

And some say that it’s all about the bottom line, that, because ‘sexy sells’, the fashion and toy industries are targeting girls for new markets in the same way the tobacco and alcohol industries target adolescents.

And still others think that there is no real evidence of harm from playing with Bratz Dolls and little girls gyrating to their favourite Rap song, and that we are simply afraid of our children’s “legitimate” sexuality. By being so reactive, some think, we only end up shaming little girls for being naturally sexual.

The following resources explore these issues and look at the evidence.

Sexy sells: The marketing of girls’ sexualityCWHN Webinar, 2013Presenter Lilia Goldfarb of the Y des Femmes de Montreal looks at the connections between the sexualization of girls and the corporate marketing strategies of the industries that profit from this. She also looks at the health consequences of hypersexualization, and explores strategies to encourage sex-more positive notions of sexuality and empowerment among girls and young women.

Sexy Girls: Too Much Too Soon?Lyba Spring, Network, 2013Examines the evidence, as well as the lack of evidence, about how hypersexualization is affecting children. Suggests what parents and others can do to counteract negative effects of hypersexualized images of girls in the media.

Our Children's Enemy is Sexism, Not SexualisationZoe Williams, The Guardian, January 24, 2013Argues that hypersexualization is not about sex but about sexism and keeping girls bound to a submissive gender role. Proposes that current strategies to counter hypersexualization repress girls, and arise out of a conservative agenda to keep girls in their place.

The Sexy LieCaroline Heldman, TEDxYouth@SanDiego, 2013A TED Talk about the objectification of women in our society, including the hypersexualization of girls. Discusses how female objectification has escalated recently, and how to demolish the sexist gender paradigms underlying it.

Damsel in Distress: Part 1 – Tropes vs Women in Video GamesAnita Sarkeesian, Feminist Frequency, 2013Part 1 of a video series on sexist images of women in video games. Explores how the Damsel in Distress became one of the most widely used gendered clichés in the history of gaming and why this image (trope) of women has been core to the popularization and development of the medium itself.

Sext Up KidsMaureen Palmer, Dream Street Pictures, 2012A film arguing that our hypersexualized culture hurts children and the pressure to be sexy is changing teen and sexual behavior in alarming ways. Shows how parents and educators struggle to help kids navigate puberty in a world where the line between pop culture and porn culture is increasingly blurred.

Sexualisation of ChildrenCommissioner for Children and Young People, Australia, Issues Paper 9, March 2012Defines sexualization of children, argues for more research into its effects, and discusses how to empower parents to help their children develop a healthy body image.

MissRepresentationJennifer Siebel Newsom, MissRepresentation.org,2011A film arguing that mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America.

Sexualisation of Young PeopleDr. Linda Papadopoulos, Home Office, United Kingdom,2010 A literature review on the hypersexualization and objectification of girls and the hypermasculinization of boys, and how these phenomena perpetuate each other. Calls for large scale longitudinal studies to look at the effects on children.

Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of GirlsTask Force on the Sexualization of Girls, American Psychological Association, 2010 Explores the cognitive and emotional consequences of the early sexualization of girls and its impact on development of a healthy sexual self-image. Also includes resources for parents and girls, for developing media literacy and recommendations to the U.S. government on dealing with the issue.

Killing Us Softly 4Jean Kilbourne, 2010 Updates Kilbourne’s pioneering film that helped develop and popularize the study of gender representation in advertising. Examines if and how the image of women in advertising has changed over the last 20 years.

It’s a Teen’s World: Wired for Sex, Lies and Power TripsLynn Glazier, Teensworld Productions Ltd., 2009 A documentary looking at how teenagers try to be cool, hip and popular in a sexually charged social world, and argues that sexual harassment has become commonplace and acceptable.

Sexy Inc. Our Children under the InfluenceSophie Bissonnette, National Film Board, 2007 Documentary dealing with the hypersexualization of our environment and its effects on young people. Psychologists, teachers and school nurses criticize how marketing and advertising target younger and younger audiences with sexual and sexist images. Suggests ways to counter hypersexualization and the eroticization of childhood.